Protector of the Site
"Protector of the Site" is the 15th episode of Once Upon a Virus. Summary While Rena and Justine begin to expand their magical horizons, Liz makes an important discovery in her attempts to bring Joe and Josh back home to Storywik, but it could prove to be very dangerous. Elsewhere in town, Joanna makes a new acquaintance with whom she has great chemistry. Over in Wikia, some complex family business is laid bare for Joe, who Prima and James come to realize is someone very important indeed. Meanwhile, in the Wikia world of the past, ImmaGleek struggles with her position as the Wiki's leading Chat Moderator when the mysterious "Dark Mod" starts stirring trouble. Plot "Okay now, stay on guard," says Queso24 to a young ImmaGleek in flashback as he trains her in sword fighting. He stands beside her and instructs her exactly how to hold her sword, positioning her just right, before finally standing opposite her. "You ready?" he asks. She nods, and the two of them lay into each other. Finally, Imma is able to disarm her brother – the first time she's ever beat him, and he looks at her, proud. "You could be a great Chat Moderator someday," he theorizes. "Well," she tells him, "I have a great teacher." In the present, Liz is sitting in the local library and, whilst reading from an ancient-looking spell book, instructing Rena and Justine exactly how to position their hands if they are to create a fireball. "Alright guys," says a beautiful woman, appearing in the space which the sysops have cleared for their training, having moved bookshelves with permission, "I'm gonna go for the night, but, you can stay here," she throws Liz the key, and Liz catches it, "Just lock up before you go, okay?" Liz nods and says, "Thanks again… Silvia, was it?" "That's right," the beautiful woman says with a smile. "And these spell books," Rena adds, "They've been really helpful." "You know, it's funny," Silvia says, "In twenty-one years I never looked twice at them, but when the Virus was deactivated I suddenly discovered them and began reading. Some very interesting factoids about the Wikian mythos. Anyway, enjoy." The three of them wave at her as she leaves for the night, and Liz continues in instructing her former bosses on how to create a fireball. Pouring his concentration into his hand, Rena finally manages to achieve a few sparks, whereas Justine finds herself stomping her foot in frustration. "It's alright," Rena assures her, "We'll get the hang of it." "In how long?" the blonde asks, "Every moment we spend trying to learn magic is another moment that our son and my father are stranded in Wikia." "I know," he says, "But you can't rush this sort of thing. And it was your idea to try expanding our magic." She nods, and says that it's late, suggesting that maybe she just has to sleep on it. "Okay," Rena says, taking his wife's hand and asking Liz if she plans on leaving as well. "Oh?" the sheriff says, only now looking up from the spell book, "No," she tells them, "I'm gonna stay here a little while. Do some reading." The two of them nod, bidding goodbye, and proceed to leave. We see Liz continue to go through the book… and another… and another… and another… Eventually she is surrounded by a small pile, still reading, and she's then heard saying, "This is it!" Reading aloud from the book, she says, "'A way in which to access the lands beyond the Internet from the Earthen realm is with the often mythicized Modem…' That's it…" she reads further, concluding, "I can save them!" "She can't save us!" yells RenaBOT in flashback, pointing towards the Chat Moderator ImmaGleek as he stands before Rena Charming and the pregnant Lady Junky in their throne room, "She's… a woman." "RenaBOT, my old friend, what are you talking about?" asks Rena Charming. "The Dark Mod," he says, to which Lady asks, "The who?" "That's what I've come to warn you guys about… there's this guy in black armor who's been targeting the richest areas in Wikia and robbing them blind!" Rena and Lady look shocked, as does Imma. "He's been kidnapping nobles and putting them up for ransom… I wouldn't be surprised if you guys were next. You might want to increase your guard." "I assure you," says Lady, "ImmaGleek is perfectly capable of protecting us. She slew a dragon to protect this kingdom and I have faith that she could do so again. I'll send a legion of Chat Moderators to monitor the Wiki and make sure that this… 'Dark Mod' doesn't have a chance to carry out such occurrences once more." "Alright," says BOT, beginning to leave, "You just better hope he doesn't target you next." Imma looks assuredly worried. Liz looks worried on this dark Storywik night as she walks along the beach with the spell book in tow, open to a page which contains a map reference; her sword, the one she took from Josh's vault (see "Ultimate Power"), is holstered on her sheriff's belt. "Well," she says to herself, barely able to see the book now, "If it's meant to be in those caves in Wikia, with any luck, it came back with the Virus." She proceeds to enter the corresponding Storywik beach caves and flicks on a flashlight, following the map reference and eventually stopping at a cave wall. She places down the book and positions the flashlight so that it keeps the wall well-lit. "Couldn't find a pick axe," she says, drawing her sword, "Hopefully this'll do." She begins hacking at the rock with her blade, and for a while, it seems as though nothing's happening. She steps back, catching her breath, but suddenly, the wall begins to rumble, and crumble, and an entire layer of rock falls to the floor. Liz sheathes her sword and wades through the rock in order to find the book and the flashlight. She shines the light over the area which has collapsed, and there, buried in the wall's rubble, is a metal-like object contorted into a slightly awkward geometric shape. She shines the flashlight back to the book and turns the page, seeing a drawing of the same object. "This is it," she says, "The Modem." She picks it up, adding, "And now it's time to bring Joe and Josh home." Meanwhile, in Wikia, Joe, Josh and Dlrgirl are seen sitting down for the night as the former asks his grandfather, "So... that blonde psycho is my grandmother?" "Indeed," says Josh. "Well, are you gonna, like, explain?" "What's there to explain?" Josh wonders. "How about why she hates you so much?" Dlr asks. Josh shoots her a look, and she turns away, saying, "Whatever. Not my family." Joe now gives Josh a look, and he sighs, explaining, "I met Primadonna Girl a long time ago, but when I did, well… I suppose you could say it was love at first sight." "Jeez…" says Joe. "Hey!" Josh snaps, "You wanted to hear!" "I apologize," Joe tells him, "Go on." "Right. The two of us married very young, and it wasn't long until she fell pregnant with your mother, Lady. However…" he takes a deep breath, "One day… Prima betrayed me, and I knew that I had to get rid of her." "Get rid of her how? Oh, and how'd she betray you?" Dlr asks. Josh shoots her another look, and she turns away again, and the Evil Bureaucrat continues in telling Joe, "I couldn't bring myself to kill her, so… I banished her. And I told Lady that her mother was dead." "I see…" Joe utters, "So, um, how did she betray you?" "Does it matter?" Josh asks, "Point is, she did. And now she's back and seemingly prepared to do much worse." From nearby in the woods, Primadonna Girl is seen to be positioned behind a tree, watching and listening as this conversation takes place. She takes a step back and begins walking away in deep thought. In the morning, Liz is seen entering the library where Silvia sits behind the desk, going through the computer. "Hi," says the sheriff, "I came here to return this book I took… without asking. And to apologize, I guess, for that." "It's alright," Silvia says with a smile, accepting the book and placing it on the desk, "You chose a perfect time to stop by. I was just about to leave and go grocery shopping." She gets up from behind the desk and begins approaching the door, commenting, "I find it so lovely how everyone's retained their livelihoods following the Virus, like the greengrocers. Are you still occupying the sheriff's position?" "Oh, yes," Liz assures her, "Protecting people is kind of what I do." ImmaGleek is seen patrolling the halls of the castle at night, keeping cautious watch. It isn't long before she hears a noise from around the corner, and she begins approaching, only to end up aiming her sword at Lady Junky, who screams. "Your majesty!" the Chat Mod exclaims, sheathing her sword, "What are you doing out of bed?" Calming herself, Lady Junky explains that this baby has been putting strain on her bladder, before extending the same question to her bodyguard, pointing out that it isn't her round on patrol. "I was… worried that the Dark Mod might strike the castle. I wanted to make sure you were safe." "Well thank you, Imma, but there are other Mods on patrol and you'll hardly be any help to us if you don't get your much-needed rest. Promise me you'll go to bed?" Lady requests, before adding, "In fact, I order it." Imma smiles, saying that she will, and begins making her way back through the halls, down the castle's steps… but then a window is heard smashing. "The treasury…" Imma quickly realizes, and begins rushing down further steps, eventually making it to a door which she has the key to, and unlocks. A man in black armor stands there, shovelling the piles of gold into a sack. Imma draws her sword and he stops in order to look at her, his face covered by his helmet, and he draws his sword also, dropping the sack in order to engage her in battle. Their sword fight goes deftly and swiftly, and it appears as though the two adversaries are equally matched. That is until the Dark Mod is able to knock Imma's weapon from her hand and push her down to her knees in one very quick and skillful move. He is now in a position to behead her, but he hesitates, and it isn't long before multiple other sysop Chat Moderators come running towards the open treasury. The Dark Mod is forced to flee through the window through which he entered as Imma is helped to her feet by her comrades – she is deeply shaken. Liz, looking nervous, enters The Sword and Hammer and quickly ascends the stairs to the apartment previously occupied by Joe and Rena but, with Joe in Wikia and Rena staying with Justine, it is now only occupied by Tiago Smith, Rena's father. The sheriff knocks on the door and Tiago answers. She presents him with a warrant she's drawn up and asks if she can search the apartment. "Um… I suppose?" he says, "What are you looking for?" "I just need to, um, search for clues as to… help… with the Joe situation. Won't take long." She enters the apartment, much to Tiago's confusion, and goes to Joe's room. "Alright," she whispers to herself, "I need one of his possessions if the Modem is to lock on to his location. I already have Josh's sword, so that should work. I just need…" she picks up a sock from the floor, "This'll do." She stuffs it in her back pocket and re-approaches Tiago in the main room. "Well," she says, "Everything appears to be in, um, in order. So… bye." She leaves the apartment, leaving Rena's father rather bewildered. Joanna is seen sporting some normal clothes as she enters Storywik's local hospital, making her way to her old nurse's station where all the nurses are currently gathered. She hops atop the desk and stands before them all, grabbing their attention. "My old coven," she greets, "How good it is to see you all again with looks of true recognition on all your faces." "DeviousPeep," says one of the nurses, "What are you doing here?" "To ask you to rejoin me. Together, we shall be an unstoppable force, finally able to break free of this town's shackles and rule over the mortals on the outside, as is our birthright!" All she gets is blank stares. "Alright, my birthright, but, you all became witches too, and, I dunno, I don't mind sharing." "Peep," says the nurse, "We're not really interested in magic anymore… we like our job. We like helping people." Joanna looks rather hurt, asking them if they all feel this way; they nod, and she stomps her foot on the desk, letting out a whiny scream. "Um," the nurse again pipes up, "Could you get down from there? Only we kind of need that space." "Whatever," she says, jumping off, "I can't believe I changed from my enchanted clothes for you people! Now I can't even take blood form without leaving these behind and showing up in the next place naked! Ugh!" She storms away, out of the hospital, and through the streets of Storywik in a huff. It is now that she hears singing. Beautiful, enchanting singing, coming from an unknown source. Entranced slightly, she begins to follow it, moving down the veritably empty streets as the noise becomes closer and closer. She eventually turns a corner and bumps into Silvia, the source of the singing, causing her grocery bag to come flying from her hand. "Watch where you're going!" Peep exclaims as Silvia kneels down to collect her shopping, beginning to pack fruit back into her brown paper bag. Peep then shakes her head and says, "I'm sorry, um… let me help." She kneels down and begins gathering food herself, handing them to Silvia as she asks, "So, was that you? The, uh, the singing I mean." "Oh," says Silvia, "Yes. Sorry if I was… bothering you." "You weren't," Joanna assures her, "It was actually… not… entirely… unpleasing." "Thank you?" Silvia replies, smiling, before getting up to her feet with a full bag once again in her grasp. Joanna stands too, and Silvia manages to extend one of her hands, introducing herself as Silvia Florence, the local librarian, but adding that she was known as MissMayfair back in Wikia. "I'm Joanna Seer," Joanna says, shaking the woman's hand, "Otherwise known as DeviousPeep." "DeviousPeep? The witch?" "You know of me?" "Indeed, your reputation precedes you. I'd heard whispers of your great power, but… the stories never told of your immense beauty." Joanna looks touched, saying coyly, "Well, I'd hardly say 'immense', but… actually, no, 'immense' is pretty apt." Silvia laughs, and her laugh is contagious towards Joanna, who says, "You're, um… I mean, you also are… you know… not… bad… looking yourself. As long as we're talking about immense beauty and all, I guess I, er, I wouldn't exclude you from that category." "Nor did the stories portray you as so shy," Silvia comments, "But tell me, just out of curiosity, how powerful are you? I mean, could you, for instance, magic up a pen and some paper out of thin air?" "Of course," Joanna says, making a fountain pen and a small slip of paper appear in her hands, "But that's hardly a test of my true abilit— What are you doing?" Joanna asks as Silvia places her grocery bag safely down on the floor and takes the pen and paper, writing something on it and handing it back to Joanna. "What's this?" the Blood Wiccan asks. "My phone number," Silvia says, again picking up her bag and wishing the witch a good day before continuing on. Joanna watches her walk away, intrigued. In her apartment, Liz has the Modem propped up on her table, and she places beside it Josh's sword, and Joe's sock. With this, some markings on the device's surface begin to light up with a dull glow, which only get brighter as Liz steps a little closer. She breathes heavily, walking with weight in her steps, and comments to herself, "Now all I have to do… is die." In the strategy planning room of Rena Charming and Lady Junky's palace, the two Bureaucrats stand over a circular table containing a map, as RenaBOT stands beside them and points out, "I told you this ImmaGleek wasn't up for the task of defeating him." Imma, who's standing near, looks hurt, but doesn't retaliate, while Rena tells his friend to be quiet, pointing out that the only reason he summoned him is because he seems to be familiar with the Dark Mod and his tactics. "Is there any chance he'll return here?" Lady wonders. "It's… a possibility," says BOT, "I've never heard about him running away from a robbery without… robbing anything before. His modus operandi is usually to kidnap rich people and demand ransoms from their families, though." "Gee, you sure know a lot about him," ImmaGleek points out, finally speaking up and looking on-edge. "Because I've looked into it, unlike some people who are clearly too busy, I don't know, having your period or something," says BOT. "Or maybe there's more to this inside knowledge. It must've been hard coming from the same humble origins as our Bureaucrat here and not reaping the same benefits in life as him… it'd be understandable if you'd want to level the playing field." "Are you accusing me of something?" asks BOT. "Maybe I am!" "The two of you," Rena snaps, "Knock it off! We're not going to get anywhere if we're constantly arguing." BOT returns to talking to the Bureaus as Imma looks at him with a look of suspicion on her face… but then a sysop aide comes running into the room, screaming that they've received a note, raven-delivered, from the Dark Mod. "It says here he's taken The St. Berry Fairy hostage… and is demanding that her daughter meet him on Cyberbully's Bluff with the family fortune." Imma is shocked, and begins approaching the door. "Where are you going?" Lady asks. "Where else?" asks Imma, "Cyberbully's Bluff." "You're going to face him?" "He has my mother, your majesty… I don't think I have a choice." She leaves, and Rena and Lady look worried as she does so. Rena and Justine are seen entering Silvia's library and she greets them, asking if they're there to practice magic again and explaining that she's just waiting on a phone call. "Yeah," says Rena, "But, um, we were meant to meet with Liz. Have you seen her? My dad called earlier and said she was acting super weird." "Um, only this morning," Silvia replies, "She came in to drop off this book," she points towards the counter. Justine picks up this book, and allows it to open in her hands to the last page it was turned to, which details the Modem. "Oh, my God," she says, handing it to her husband, "Read this part." He does so, and he too looks shocked. "It feeds off of life energy… we have to find her," he says, and the two of them leave the book behind before rushing out of the library, "And stop her." "Need to stop the Dark Mod, need to stop the Dark Mod, need to stop the Dark Mod," ImmaGleek is chanting to herself as she walks the mountains of the Once Upon a Time Wiki, finally making it to Cyberbully's Bluff where the Dark Mod is meant to be meeting her. "Come on then!" Imma exclaims, "Show yourself!" "Imma!" a woman is heard exclaiming, and she turns to see the Dark Mod standing there with her mother, The St. Berry Fairy, crying with her hands tied behind her back – he is holding a chain which is attached to her neck. He makes a gesture as though asking Imma to hand something over, but she's quick to tell him that she didn't bring his little ransom – the only reason she came there was to defeat him once and for all. She draws her sword, and he yanks on her mother's chain, forcing her to her knees as he draws his own. The two of them lay into each other once more, with Imma becoming more and more aggressive. Finally, this time, she is able to knock his sword away, making it so that it falls from the cliff, and she aims her own at his throat. "What are you gonna do now?" she asks gloatingly, at which he gives her mother a powerful kick and makes it so that The St. Berry Fairy goes flying off the edge of Cyberbully's Bluff, screaming before painting the mountainside red with her death. Imma is shocked and crying, shaking in the Dark Mod's presence, and she runs at him with her sword, pure rage swelling up within her. She begins hacking at him and eventually gets him on the floor, causing his helmet to come rolling off. She approaches and looks down to see Queso24 staring up at her. "Hello, sister," he says with a smile. With everything in place, all Liz needs to do now is charge the Modem with her own life force in order to open a portal, thus killing her. The more she approaches, the more the symbols on the surface begin lighting up, brighter and brighter, and tears stream from her eyes as she goes to take hold of it. However, suddenly, Rena and Justine burst into her apartment, and the latter begs to redhead not to go through with it. Liz turns to them, shocked, and says that the two of them weren't meant to know about this; "Until…" "Until what?" asks Rena, "Until we discovered your body?" "So you know what this thing does," Liz realizes. "Liz…" Justine utters, "This thing will kill you." "I'm well-aware," the sheriff says, "After all, it'd only work if done willingly." "But… but…" Justine weeps. "But nothing," she tells them, "You two should leave. This is what I have to do to save them. It's my duty." She then says in a lower register, more to herself than anyone, as she turns back to the glowing object, "It's my job to protect people." In flashback, Imma is shocked to learn that the Dark Mod's true identity is that of her brother, Queso24, who she thought was long since dead. "Wh-what?" she utters, "But you… you…" "Died?" Queso asks, getting to his knees, but Imma aims her sword at him, not allowing him to stand up any further, "That is indeed what I had people believe. But the truth of it is, that's only what the Moderators assumed after they left me behind on a mission. And that's when I realized that the order I spent my life training to join… cared nothing for me. I spent some time on the streets after that, trying to find my way home, but by the time I arrived you were already a Chat Mod yourself and serving the Bureaucrats. But here I was, in such a rich area, and I just thought… these people have never had to fight for anything in their entire lives. Everything they have has just been handed to them…" "What are you talking about?" Imma asks, having previously been too stunned to talk, "You were a high born, like me, you…" "I broke away from it. And so did you. We became protectors of the site. But what's it worth when the people don't even appreciate you?" "They do appreciate me…" Imma argues. "Do they?" asks Queso, "I mean, you're a woman for starters, are you telling me that you haven't once been judged?" Imma looks saddened, and Queso smiles, "Together, Imma, we could be an unstoppable force. Taking what we want, when we want. With our skills combined… When I fought you the other night, I knew I had to meet you again and extend this offer. That's why I…" "That's why you killed our mother?!" Imma exclaims, tears streaming from her eyes. "Who cares?" asks Queso, "She's just one of them. One of the helpless sheep. I liberated her from a life of pointlessness. She should thank me." "You've gone insane," Imma realizes. "Imma, please, join me. You're meant for such great things." "No," Imma refuses, "What I'm meant for… is protecting people." And, with that, she quickly and swiftly swings her sword and takes his head, proceeding to collapse to her knees in uncontrollable tears. "Leave!" Liz exclaims as she continues approaching the Modem, "You shouldn't have to see this!" "Too bad," Justine tells her, "Because we're not going anywhere." "We care about you, ImmaGleek," Rena assures her, "We'll find another way to bring Joe and Josh home. That's what those magic lessons are all about." "But what if we don't?" Imma wonders, "It's just like you said, Lady… every moment spent training is another moment they're stranded. But this? This could bring them home now. I can save them!" "Liz…" Justine tries. "Look," says the sheriff, "My own mother died because I didn't act fast enough. I have to do this… I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't." "Do you think we'd be able to live with ourselves if we let you go through with this?" Rena asks. "You've spent all this time keeping us safe," Justine adds, "But now it's our turn to protect you. Step away, Liz. Step away. I promise we'll find another way to bring them home." "But… it's my job… to protect people…" "And you won't be able to protect anyone if you're dead," Rena points out. "Step away," Justine repeats tearfully, and Liz takes one last look at the glowing Modem before collapsing into Lady's arms, crying deeply. The Modem stops glowing, and Rena approaches it, moving the sword and the sock and moving it out of harm's way after wrapping it with a tea towel. Justine continues to comfort her friend, telling her that it's okay; everything's gonna be okay. We are taken back to Cyberbully's Bluff, but this time it's being viewed in the present day as Primadonna Girl and James 1234 stroll across it. "So, I found out something interesting," Prima says. "Oh?" asks James, "And what would that be?" "That… boy, the one who's here with my husband, is, I believe, the son of Lady Junky and Rena Charming." "You mean…" James starts. "Yes," Prima tells him, "Jdg98. The only one whose raw power has been proven capable enough to transport him to the other land. If we could capture him… use him somehow… Do you remember the spell your daughter showed you?" "I do indeed," James assures her, "But all that would accomplish is… getting him home. It wouldn't open a door for the both of us to go through." "So what if we amplified that power?" Prima suggests. "How so?" James wonders. "Well, it appears the genie isn't capable of getting us anywhere – if she was, she would've removed the two she's with by now – but I can still wish upon her for magical abilities of my own. Ones that aren't stolen from ink." "I doubt she'd be able to supply you with enough power to perform this spell." "Oh, I'm well aware of that," Prima assures him, "I have something else in mind. Something very special…" She then leans in close and whispers her plan in James 1234's ear. When she moves away, he is smiling wickedly. "Wow," he says, "You really have given this a lot of thought." "What can I say?" Prima tells him, "I love nothing more than torturing my dear husband. And this will absolutely destroy him." Category:Season 2 Category:Episodes Category:ImmaGleek-Centric